Electrical ore-detector



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. MELLETT.

ELECTRICAL ORE DETECTOR. v No. 367,422. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

e @an N1@ j 5) fw (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. MELLETT.

ELECTRICAL CEE DETECTOR.

No. 367,422. Patented Aug. 2, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMUEL MELLETT, OF MILFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRICAL ORE-DETECTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,422, dated August 2, 1887.

Application filed Mari-h l0, 1857'. Serial No. 230.356. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit knownthat I, LEMUEL MELLETT, of Milford, county of Voi-cester, and State of lllassachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Electrical Ore-Detectors, of which the follow-v ing description, in connection with the accompanying drawings is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

In another application, Serial No. 196,353, filed by myself and Jerome Prince, March 24, 1886, is shown and described an electrical ap- 2 paratus adapted for the detection of mineral deposits near the earths surface,and in a shal't or mine, and also beneath the water.

My present invention is au improvement upon the apparatus shown iu the. application referred to, and relates more especially to the detection of mineral substances under water, and is especially adapted to be used for dredging harbors and bays for anchors, chains, and like articles pertaining to vessels.

Harbors and bays are now commonly dredged by means of a cable provided with grappling hooks or irons .the said cable being suspended between two tugs or boa-ts at a considerable distance apart, the said grappling` hooks or irons engaging chains, anchors, or other objects on the bottom of the bay or harbor as the boatsare moved through the water. Vhen a grappling-hook has become'engaged with an objecten thebottoin of the harbor or bay, a diver is sent down to ascertain what the said object is, and as -it frequently happens that the said grappling-hook has caught on a rock or ledge of rocks, a considerable delay is thus occasioned. In accordance with my present 'invention, the cable referred to as suspended between the tugs or boats is composed ot' wires, two of lwhich are insulated and have their ends connected to the positive and negative poles of a battery to forma positive and negative wire in the cable`- The cable referred to is provided at suitable 'intervals apart throughout its length with metallic collars, preferably brass or other nou-corroding metal, every two successive or adjacent collars being in contact with the positive and negative wires of the cable. Each collar has a metallic finger, preferably of copper, which is fitted upon the said collar, so as to be revolved or turned about the said collar as a pivot. The battery to which the positive and negative wires of the cable are connected has in circuit with it a bell to indicate when a positive and negative finger on the cable has come in contact with metallic substance. The particular features in which my invention consists will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specilication.

Figure 1 is a top View of a box provided with a bell and battery, to which is connected the positive and negative Wires of the cable, the said box being provided with switch-levers, for a purpose to be described. Fig. 2 shows a portion of the cable provided with a positive and negative collar, and finger co-operating therewith; Fig. 3, a section of Fig. 2 on line x 00, to show the manner of establishing the electrical connection between a wire of the cable and the collar; and Fig. 4,a diagram of circuits,to more clearly illustrate my invention. The box A contains a battery, B, in circuit with which is a bell, B', herein shown in Fig. l as secure-tl to the outside of the box, but .which in practice will preferably be fastened within the said box. The box A is provided with twobinding-posts, aa','to which are fastcned the positive and negative wires 2 3, respectively, of the cableU, the post a' being shown in Fig. 4 as connected by wire a2 to a post, a?, of the bell B', a post, a, of said bell boingjoined to the positive pole of the battery by wire a. The negative pole of the battery is connected bywire a5 to a switch-v lever, b, which normally cooperates with a stud or terminal, b', connected by wire b2 (see Fig. 4) to the binding-post a, the said switchlever also co-operating with the stud b, to which one end of a resistance, It, is connected, the other en d of the said resistance being single wire and the ends connected with the cable C.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the cable C is are mounted at suitable intervals apart metallic collars D D', the third Wire, as 5, being employed to give the rounded form to the cabe iilled out to thereby maintain the wires 2 3, eo-operating with the metallic collars D D', respectively, in contact with the same, that part of the wires encircled by the collars bejoined to the wire b2. The positive and negative wires 2 3 in practice will be united in a shown as composed of three wires, upon which ble, so that the opening in the said collars may Y first boat or tug. The cable is bell is closed, and

being a much better conductor ing bare or without insulation-*for instance, as shown in Fig. 3, the collar D, the collar D in Fig. 2 being in con tact with the wire 3. vThe collars D D are each provided with flanges d, and between the said flanges the saidcollars are respectively encircled by metallic fingers d2 d, which are free to be revolved or turned about their respective collars.

In the operation of my improved apparatus the cable C is lowered beneath the water until it preferably rests upon the bottom, one end of the said cable being supported on one boat or tug and the other on a second boat or tug, preferably at a considerable distance from the dragged over the bottom, and when a positive and negative finger collie in contact with an anchor, chain, or.other metallic substance, irrespective to whether the said fingers are adjacent or at a considerable distance apart, the circuit of the notice given by the ringing of the saidrbell that a metallic substance has been located. A diver can be then sent down, and by a code or a series of prearrauged taps or signals on the bell he may inform those on the boat or tug what kind of an article has been found, whether it be an anchor, chain,

. or bottom of a vessel, or other metallic article.

v As shown by full lilies, Fig. 4, the apparatus is adapted to be used in'fresh water,`but when used in salt-Water the lever b will be thrown into, contact with the stud b3, thereby throwing in circuit the resistance It. The salt-water of electricity than fresh water, the bell would be affected it` the resistance R were not placed in the circuit thereof.-v I prefer this inode of'inserting the resistance, but it is evident that the magnetsof the bell may be wound with fine wire to accomplish the same purpose.

In order to test the connections of the apparatus in the boX, Ihave connected the binding-posta by wire l0 with a switch-lever, 1-2. and havejoined the'posta by wire Y stud, 14, with which the lever cooperates to complete a short-circuit for the bell.

' t Incase contact is made between any 'two fingers, d2 d3, the circuit, as shown in Fig. 4, may be traeedas follows, viz: from the positive pole 0f the battery through the bell to post a; thence through finger d?, substance found, finger d2, line 2 to post a; thence by'line b2, lever b, and line a5 to the negative pole of the battery.

The short circuit referred to may be traced wire 2 in contact with the A 13 with a.

poles ofthe battery through box, a battery, and an 'indicating dev-ice in circuit with the battery, combined with acable having two of its wires connected with the positive and negative pole of the said battery,

and with metallic collars on the said cable provided with metallic fingers, forming the terminals of the battery-circuit, the said collars being in contact with the positive and negative wires in the cable, substantially as described. f

2. In an electrical indicating apparatus, a box, a battery, and a bell in circuit with the battery, combined with a cable having two of its wires connected with the positive and negative pole of thesaid battery, and with metallic collars on the said cable provided with metallic fingers forming the terminals of the bat '8o and negative wires in the v tory-circuit, the said collars being in contact with the positive cable, substantially as described. y

3. In an electrical indicating apparatus, a box, a battery, and a bell in circuit with the said battery, and a cable havingtwo of its wires connected with the positive and negative pole of the said battery, andanetallic colf- .lars on the said cable provided with metallic fingers forming the terminals 0f the batterycircuit, the said collars being in contact with the positive and negativewires in the said cable, combined with a resistance, and aswitch to interpose or cut out thel said resistance, according as the apparatus is to be or fresh water, substantially` as 4. The cable C, composed of which constitute a positive and described. wires, two of negativewire,

combinedv with two metallic collars mounted v -on said cable,

one collar being in contact with the positive wire and the other collar being in contact with the negati-ve wire, and with a lnetallic finger on each collar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this speeitication in the presence of two sub-' scribingwitnesses. l

LEMUEL MELLETT."

yWitnesses: vl l BERNreE'J.NoYEs, I J. H. CHURCHILL.

used in salt l 

